The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-25

Tho Magic City of Alabama Some Fact,
| Regarding 1t.
The following correspondence, unde,
the date Of Wheeling, January 9, appear
In tho Apollo Herald Of the issue Of the
18th inst: w. "@ y,
So very many articles in favor Of Biz.
mingham. Ala, becoming q future centre
for the manufacture Of iron and uteel have
been perpetuully going tho rounds OF the
press that your correspondent was indu.
ced to make visit to that locality for the
purpose Of settling, in his own mind,
whether thia region ever would startle the
world In this production, and after what
he deems u thorough Investigation, the
only conclusion that ho can arrive at ia
that 1t never will. I
Tho writer WIS much struck by the ut.
tcrly forlorn, degencrated and dlsorpanized
aspect evinced In every southern state
passed through en- route to and from Biz.
minghsm. Tho very soil itself seemed in.
capable Of producing anything except
scrub pine, being for the most part, red
gravel. ~ :
Arriving In Birmingham It was found
almost impossible 10 obtain board, pri.
yate boarding was eimply ont OF the cues.
ton and hotel accommodation waA finally
secured after much huBlling. The city,
OF about $4,000 people mostly eastern and
northern men, was literally teeming with
commercial travellers, prospectors, &C.,
most OF whom departed wiser and saddsr
mel. It was soon evident that this city
was thriving on tictitioua bottom and a
little inquiry brought forth the fact that
birmingham is doomed, for all it's worth
and n great deal more, by several land
companies, who want as much Tor their
land as the game number Of inches would
bring in the city Of New York.
-, They pay negro laborers 81 per day.
This is more than many white laborers gs.
In the State Of Pennsylvania. Tho labor
Is all performed by negroes, there being
no white laborersin Alabama. Provisions,
rents and all living expenses are fully az
high as in any very large city. M
There arc at present in the city and
vicinity eight blast furnaces, ono stove
foundry, two railroads, three hotels and
lInnumberable, so.called, boarding houses.
There are many very substantial brick
buildings, all modern Innovations, includ-
ing electric light, telephone, steam street
cars &c.
All Of the iron ore obtainable in TIA
country is very, high in PHOSPHORUS, G..
cept very small tract, containing small
percentage Of this element, which il
owned by Carnegie Bros. 4 Co., OF Pitts.
burgh. All Of tho rest contain all the way
from 3 10 Is per cent. Of PHOSPHORUS.
From this fact it is clearly evident that to
make steel only one process could be used
the Basic procesa-and it has never
been demonstrated that this process could
be made pay in the United States. At
any ratio tic actual iron makers OF Ala.
bama express themselves as unwilling TO
embark for the present in 80 doubtful an
enterprise. ,S,S- ~ N ~ y
In conclusion, your correspondent de-
slres to say that while Chattanooga, Tenn,
cannot claim any superior advantage with
regard to iron ore in its immediate yicin.
ity, yet it's general location, and juxtopo.
sition 10 8 very fine deposit of Bessemer
ore in the eastern portion Of the same
State, would seem to him, to render it's
possibility as future steel and iron cen.
ter far more likely than that Of Birming-
ham, Alabama. 9N ~ r~ -